Chevy Chase Quits Community

In what can only be described as one of the least shocking stories this year, actor and comedian Chevy Chase has finally called time on COMMUNITY and his character on the show, the bigoted Pierce Hawthorne. The fact it’s taken this long is probably the most surprising, considering Chase’s public spat with COMMUNITY creator and former showrunner Dan Harmon earlier this year. A source on the show said:

“Chase’s departure from the show is effective immediately. The bulk of Community‘s 13-episode fourth-season order have been filmed. Chase won’t appear in the one or two episodes that have not been shot yet.”

Chase has, in the past, been quite down on the idea of working on a sitcom “which is probably the lowest form of television,” as he told The Huffington Post earlier this year. “The hours are hideous… I just sort of hung around because I have three daughters and a wife, and I figured out I might as well make some bread, every week.”

The show’s insider also revealed that:

“Chase had been increasingly frustrated and uncomfortable with the direction of his character, Pierce, who is a bigot, and had felt that Pierce had run his course.”

I for one am disappointed by this news, though Chase was never really the main reason to tune in for the show. The excellent ensemble cast, including TED’s Joel Mchale and THE HANGOVER’s Ken Jeong, will no doubt survive the departure of the show’s most divisive character. Some though will worry that Chase’s departure will be another nail in the coffin for the Show, it’s October return delayed until February by NBC.